INTRODUCTION TO EPHESIANS 3 In this chapter the apostle hints at his state and condition as a prisoner, and at the afflictions he endured for the sake of the Gospel; and whereas he knew these would be objected to his ministry, and be discouraging to the saints, he chiefly insists on these two thing... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS CAUSE I PAUL, THE PRISONER OF JESUS CHRIST,.... Not actively, whom Christ had apprehended by his grace, and made a prisoner of hope; but passively, who was made a prisoner for Christ, on account of preaching Christ, and his Gospel: he was not a prisoner for any capital crime, as theft, murd... [ Continue Reading ]
IF YE HAVE HEARD OF THE DISPENSATION OF THE GRACE OF GOD,.... Not the free love and favour of God in his heart towards his people; nor internal grace wrought in the heart of the apostle; but either the gift of grace, as in Ephesians 3:7 qualifying him for the work of the ministry; and so the Ethiopi... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW THAT BY REVELATION HE MADE KNOWN UNTO ME THE MYSTERY,.... Or "is made known unto me": so the Alexandrian copy, and some others, and the Vulgate Latin version. The Gospel, which is sometimes called a mystery, the mystery of the Gospel, the mystery of godliness, and the mystery of faith: the sever... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREBY WHEN YE READ,.... The above Chapter s, and seriously consider what is contained in them: YE MAY UNDERSTAND MY KNOWLEDGE IN THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST of his person, office, and grace; and which knowledge was very large indeed.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH IN OTHER AGES WAS NOT MADE KNOWN UNTO, THE SONS OF MEN,.... That is, which mystery of Christ, and of the Gospel, was not made known to men in general, nor so clearly as under the Gospel dispensation. Some hints were given of it to Adam, immediately after his fall; and the Gospel was before pre... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THE GENTILES SHOULD BE FELLOWHEIRS,.... With the Jews, of all the blessings of grace, of lasting salvation, and of the eternal, incorruptible, and never fading inheritance in heaven; that they should be heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ Jesus, and inherit all things: and heirs they are... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREOF I WAS MADE A MINISTER,.... That is, of the Gospel, not by men, but by God: and he is a true minister of the Gospel who is called of God to the work of the ministry, and is qualified by him with grace and gifts for it; and who faithfully discharges it according to the ability God has given; a... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO ME WHO AM LESS THAN THE LEAST OF ALL SAINTS,.... This is an instance of the great humility of the apostle, and indeed the greatest saints are generally speaking, the most humble souls, as Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, and others; these have the meanest thoughts of themselves, and the best of ot... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TO MAKE ALL MEN SEE WHAT IS THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE MYSTERY,.... Or "the dispensation of the mystery" as the Complutensian, and several copies, and the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions, read. The mystery is the Gospel; the fellowship of it is the communication of grace by it, a participation of t... [ Continue Reading ]
TO THE INTENT THAT NOW UNTO THE PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS IN HEAVENLY PLACES,.... By whom are meant, not civil magistrates, much less evil angels, but the good angels, the angels in heaven; Ephesians 1:21. MIGHT BE KNOWN BY THE CHURCH THE MANIFOLD WISDOM OF GOD; not the perfection of wisdom, nor J... [ Continue Reading ]
ACCORDING TO THE ETERNAL PURPOSE,.... The whole of salvation, in which is displayed the great wisdom of God, is according to a purpose of his; the scheme of it is fixed in the council of peace; the thing itself is effected in pursuance of it; Christ, the Redeemer, was set forth in it; his incarnatio... [ Continue Reading ]
IN WHOM WE HAVE BOLDNESS AND ACCESS,.... Into the holy of holies, to the throne of grace there, and to God the Father, as seated on it: Christ is the way of access; union to him gives right of access; through his mediation his people have audience of God, and acceptance with him, both of person and... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE I DESIRE THAT YE FAINT NOT AT MY TRIBULATIONS FOR YOU,.... The apostle was a man attended with many tribulations, and great afflictions, which he did not suffer as an evildoer, either from God or men; wherefore he was not ashamed of them, but gloried in them; yea, he took pleasure in them,... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS CAUSE I BOW MY KNEES UNTO THE FATHER,.... That is, pray unto him for the perseverance of the saints; for nothing is more desirable to the ministers of Christ than that; which is the pure gift of God, and is what he has promised, and therefore should be prayed to for it; for what God has des... [ Continue Reading ]
OF WHOM THE WHOLE FAMILY IN HEAVEN AND EARTH IS NAMED. This may refer either to God, the Father of Christ; who is the Father of the whole family in heaven and in earth; not only the Father of Christ, but the Father of spirits, of angelic spirits, as well as of the souls of men; and the Father of all... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT HE WOULD GRANT YOU ACCORDING TO THE RICHES OF HIS GLORY,.... Or according to, and out of that rich, plenteous, and glorious fulness of grace and strength in Christ Jesus. TO BE STRENGTHENED WITH MIGHT BY HIS SPIRIT IN THE INNER MAN; this is the petition which the apostle puts up on his bended... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT CHRIST MAY DWELL IN YOUR HEARTS BY FAITH,.... This is another petition put up by the apostle for the Ephesians, which is for the inhabitation of Christ in them: the inhabitant Christ is he who dwells in the highest heavens, who dwells in the Father, and the Father in him, in whom all fulness dw... [ Continue Reading ]
MAY BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND WITH ALL SAINTS,.... This is the end of their being rooted and grounded in love, that they, together with the rest of the saints interested in it, might have a larger and more comprehensive view of WHAT IS THE BREADTH, AND LENGTH, AND DEPTH, AND HEIGHT; not of God himself,... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TO KNOW THE LOVE OF CHRIST, WHICH PASSETH KNOWLEDGE,.... The love of Christ to his own, to his church and people, is special and peculiar; free and Sovereign; as early as his Father's love, and is durable and unchangeable; the greatest love that ever was heard of; it is matchless and unparallele... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW UNTO HIM THAT IS ABLE TO DO EXCEEDING ABUNDANTLY,.... This is the conclusion of the apostle's prayer, in which the power of God is celebrated, a perfection which is essential unto God, and is very large and extensive; it reaches to all things, to every thing that he wills, which is his actual or... [ Continue Reading ]
UNTO HIM BE GLORY IN THE CHURCH BY CHRIST JESUS,.... This is a doxology, or an ascription of glory to God, with which the apostle concludes his prayer; glory is to be given to God on account of his perfections, which are to be celebrated; and on account of the works of creation and Providence, which... [ Continue Reading ]